Display case



| H. GUSTAFSON ET AL ,303

May 9, 1950 DISPLAY CASE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1948 I NyEN-l-u RS Lou/s H. Gus THFG ON AND Don/A40 B. HARTER Ja abawm Pm Patented May 9, 1950 DISPLAY CASE Lewis H. Gustafson and Donald B. Hatter, N01- thampton, Mass., assignors to Pro-phy-lac-tic Brush Company, Northampton, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Application May 25, 1948, Serial No. 29,138

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a display case, and particularly to a type of merchandise display adapted to exhibit toilet articles such as hairbrushes, combs and mirrors.

It is an object of the invention to provide a form of display which can be used on the top of a department store counter and which will be highly attractive and not cumbersome. Other objects will hereinafter appear.

Department stores, especially the more modern ones, are very reluctant to accept any manuufacturers display for use on their counters. Some have even adopted an absolute rule that such displays will not [be accepted. In order to overcome the objection that the displays are cumbersome, that such forms of advertising are objectionable, and that they are not in keeping with modern equipment, attempts have been made to make such displays of more ornamental design. However, merely making a display more ornamental is not sufficient. While they must be attractive, they must in addition offer something novel in the way of presenting merchandise.

In the display of the present invention, edgelighting of a piece of Lucite or methyl methacrylate is employed. This feature by itself is not new, and neither would it satisfy the requirements of the higher class stores which in general refuse to accept displays. lighting is one feature of the display herein described, it is useful and desirable because of the way in which it is combined with other features.

The nature and objects of the invention will best be understood by reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation and partly in section of a cabinet embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view showing a part of the device; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.

The display cabinet is provided with a base portion I which may be made of wood or like material which encloses a compartment 2 large enough to enclose a fluorescent light fixture 3 and fluorescent light bulb 4. The light fixture is connected to an outlet by a cord 5 and plug 6. To the base I is secured a semi-circular trans- Thus while edge- 2 2. parent backing and supporting plate In which is preferably made of crystal methyl methacrylate. The base also supports a semi-circular cover II comprising a drawn sheet of transparent plastic. The cover II is secured as by tacks I2 to the forward part and end walls of the base I and removably secured as by screws I3 to the upper edge of the back plate I0. The screws I3 pass into crystal methacrylate support blocks I4 which are secured to the inturned wall I5 of the cover II. The parts In and I I form a display enclosure the bottom of which is closed off from the compartment 2 by a crystal methacrylate plate I6.

Immediately inside the front cover II and over the plate I6 there is a methacrylate display sign 2!] which has its rear portion covered with a layer of black paint 2| in which desired lettering may be cut or etched as shown at 22. Immediately behind the display sign :0 there may be located a second methacrylate display sign 23 which may have prices or other matter cut or engraved in it as indicated at 24. The bottom edges of both signs are left clear, both rest on the plate I6, and both are secured to it. The sign 2!! is cemented to the plate I6, while the sign 23 is preferably movably secured by any suitable means. In order to obtain the best edge lighting effect, the contact between the signs and the plate must be as close as possible.

The upper part of the panel In is provided with screw fasteners 25 which are adapted to hold toilet articles or similar merchandise 28 permanently in a position above and behind the fluorescent bulb 4.

In operation the rays of light from the bulb 4 pass upwardly into and through the methacrylate plate I6 and enter the edges of the display signs 20 and 23. The light passes through the signs and causes the cut or etched portions to glow, both in the coated and the uncoated signs. The light also strikes the faces of the articles being displayed. The fact that the same source of light is used for both the articles being displayed and for the signs which indicate the names and prices, etc., gives the articles and prices the appearance of being suspended in space. Since the lettering of the signs is given a bright glow and the articles being displayed are also brightly lighted, the display casing itself is relatively inconspicuous. The customer notices the articles and the prices rather than the cabinet itself. The sales person behind the counter can easily see through the device between the articles, and though the device may be sizable and contain as many as fourteen pieces of merchandise there is no substantial obstruction of the view.

We claim:

1. A display for merchandise such as toilet articles having, in combination, a plurality of edge lighted signs of light-transmitting material, one of said signs having an opaque coating on one side thereof and the other of said signs not having an opaque coating thereon, a backing plate for holding merchandise disposed parallel to said signs, and a source of light disposed below and between said parallel signs, some of the light rays therefrom passing to selected areas on said signs through the material thereof from the edges thereof, and others diffusing outside of said signs to illuminate said articles.

2. A display for merchandise such as toilet articles having, in combination, a base, a light mounted in the base, a cover-plate of light-transmitting material on said base over the light, a sign of light transmitting material having one opaque side mounted vertically on the base and having a flat edge in contact with the top of said cover plate, and a backing plate fOr supporting merchandise vertically mounted on the base and spaced from the rear of said sign, the light rays from said light being transmitted from said plate to the edge of the sign and passing therethrough into and through the interior of said sign to selected areas therein, and also diffusing from said plate to illuminate said articles.

LEWIS H. GUSTAFSON.

DONALD B. HARTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,671,861 Harris et al May 29, 1928 1,711,586 Brumhoif May 7, 1929 1,840,325 McCann Jan. 12, 1932 2,009,299 Scantlebury July 23, 1935 2,125,687 Peebles Aug. 2, 1938 2,140,301 Regester Dec. 13, 1938 2,145,999 Weil Feb. 7, 1939 2,177,641 Evans Oct. 31, 1939 

